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Hepatitis C, Past or Present
2003 Case Definition

Clinical Description

Most hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected persons are asymptomatic. However, many have chronic liver disease, which can range from mild to severe including cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Laboratory Criteria for Diagnosis

  • Anti-HCV positive (repeat reactive) by enzyme immunoassay (EIA), verified by an additional more specific assay (e.g., recombinant immunblot assay [RIBA] for anti-HCV or nucleic acid testing for HCV ribonucleic acid [RNA]), OR
  • HCV RIBA positive, OR
  • Nucleic acid test for HCV RNA positive, OR
  • Anti-HCV positive (repeat reactive) by EIA with a signal to cut-off ratio ≥ 3.8 (as this becomes available).

Case Classification

Probable

A case that is anti-HCV positive (repeat reactive) by EIA and has alanine aminotranferase (ALT or serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase [SGPT]) values above the upper limit of normal, but the anti-HCV EIA result has not been verified by an additional more specific assay or the signal to cutoff ratio is unknown.

Confirmed

A case that is laboratory confirmed and that does not meet the case definition for acute hepatitis C.




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